THE DIGITAL RANGEFINDER
One of the most eagerly anticipated digital cameras of 2006, if not THE most, is the Leica M8, which has shipped, and is finally in the hands of some well-heeled, and very lucky photographers. I, unfortunately, am not one of them, and none of my friends are either, so it doesn't look like I'll have an M8 in hand any time soon. This camera is very important, not only for what it can do, but because it signifies that Leica, the legend of 35mm photography, has finally arrived in the digital domain, and has fully embraced it. This is supposedly, by all accounts, a 'real' Leica, not like the Panasonic made 'Leica' branded point 'n shoots. But with the strong Leica/Panasonic relationship, one has to wonder though, how much of the M8 has Panasonic in it (if any). It is called the M8, not 'M8 Digital' and that tells a lot about what Leica wants to say with this camera. But why would anyone choose to spend close to $5K for a 10mp digital rangefinder? Indeed, what is the appeal of rangefinder photography?
Rangefinder photography has always been a true enthusiasts' domain. Not to say that slr photography or any other photography isn't, but photographers who shoot with rangefinders are on the whole, a very passionate bunch.
My own experience with the rangefinder began with a Koni-Omega medium format camera. I used a Koni in the early 90s, and was quite hooked with the image quality from that bulky, ugly beast. I was also hooked with focusing the image, and having the little white patch line up in the viewfinder.
But rangefinders are not for everyone. It seems to me, the folks who love it, REALLY love it, and are highly enthusiastic while those who don't love it, don't get what all the fuss is about.
If technical quality of the end result is your main photographic concern, an autofocus digital slr will probably produce better technical quality images. Your images are more likely to be in critical focus. The only two digital rangefinder cameras out right now, the Epson R-D1/R-D1s, and now, the Leica M8, are both manual focus cameras. The manual focus lenses in the Leica-M, and screw mounts, however, are legendary, and are considered among the finest lenses in all of 35mm photography. Even most of the Cosina Voigtlander lenses in these mounts are top notch. But as much as I love rangefinder photography, I have to disagree with the notion that these cameras allow one to work faster. You may be able to work more discreetly, but working 'faster' is subject to debate. I mean, is it actually faster than working with a modern Nikon or Canon body, with AF, and a fast prime?
One of the most eagerly anticipated digital cameras of 2006, if not THE most, is the Leica M8, which has shipped, and is finally in the hands of some well-heeled, and very lucky photographers. I, unfortunately, am not one of them, and none of my friends are either, so it doesn't look like I'll have an M8 in hand any time soon. This camera is very important, not only for what it can do, but because it signifies that Leica, the legend of 35mm photography, has finally arrived in the digital domain, and has fully embraced it. This is supposedly, by all accounts, a 'real' Leica, not like the Panasonic made 'Leica' branded point 'n shoots. But with the strong Leica/Panasonic relationship, one has to wonder though, how much of the M8 has Panasonic in it (if any). It is called the M8, not 'M8 Digital' and that tells a lot about what Leica wants to say with this camera. But why would anyone choose to spend close to $5K for a 10mp digital rangefinder? Indeed, what is the appeal of rangefinder photography?
Rangefinder photography has always been a true enthusiasts' domain. Not to say that slr photography or any other photography isn't, but photographers who shoot with rangefinders are on the whole, a very passionate bunch.
My own experience with the rangefinder began with a Koni-Omega medium format camera. I used a Koni in the early 90s, and was quite hooked with the image quality from that bulky, ugly beast. I was also hooked with focusing the image, and having the little white patch line up in the viewfinder.
But rangefinders are not for everyone. It seems to me, the folks who love it, REALLY love it, and are highly enthusiastic while those who don't love it, don't get what all the fuss is about.
If technical quality of the end result is your main photographic concern, an autofocus digital slr will probably produce better technical quality images. Your images are more likely to be in critical focus. The only two digital rangefinder cameras out right now, the Epson R-D1/R-D1s, and now, the Leica M8, are both manual focus cameras. The manual focus lenses in the Leica-M, and screw mounts, however, are legendary, and are considered among the finest lenses in all of 35mm photography. Even most of the Cosina Voigtlander lenses in these mounts are top notch. But as much as I love rangefinder photography, I have to disagree with the notion that these cameras allow one to work faster. You may be able to work more discreetly, but working 'faster' is subject to debate. I mean, is it actually faster than working with a modern Nikon or Canon body, with AF, and a fast prime?
The true strength of rangefinder photography, I believe, is the ability to translate the photographer's 'soul' into the image. The process is more thoughtful, more deliberate. One is more in tune with the 'art' of photography, rather than just the technical excellence of it. Of course, this is just my opinion, and all subject to debate, depending on which photographer you ask.
If you look back at some of the great images from the rangefinder's golden age in the 40's, and 50's, you will see that there are many, many photographs that are not technically perfect (many are blurry), but they have something special to them. That 'something special' is usually the moment; the "Decisive Moment" as defined by the master himself, Henri Cartier-Bresson. The other thing you see very often in those old images is the story of life, everyday life. This is where the rangefinder excels, capturing real life as seen through the eyes of the photographer.
I have been shooting with my old Contax T, Contax G series, Konica Hexar, and Yashica Electro for years now. More recently, I have been using the Bessa R3a, and the digital Epson R-D1, beautiful cameras to work with, not Leica beautiful, but nice, and I look forward to sharing my photos, and experiences with you in upcoming articles. And to those who now have the M8, CONGRATULATIONS! That's it for now...
Best,
SC
PHOTO INFO: "High Contrast" taken with the R-D1 and CV 25mm f/4 Snapshot-Skopar lens
"Claire" taken with the R-D1, and Jupiter-8 50mm f/2 lens
"Lazy Afternoon" taken with the R-D1, and Jupiter-8 50mm f/2 lens
© Copyright 2006 Sam Charupakorn, All Rights Reserved
posted by Sam Charupakorn at 1:16 AM
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